The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-20
The Committees Statement of Wrongs Put
Upon American Fishermen and Vessels by
Officials of the Dominion Government.
Protection Democrats Said To Be Con-
ferriDg for Advertising Purposes.
Prediction that the Interstate Commerce
Measure Will Prove So Popular that 1t
Will Be Enforced Without Difficulty.
THE FISHERIES DISPUTE.

The Proposed Retaliatory Legislation-Facts
and Arguments of the Committee.
WASHINGTON, JAN 19-The following is the
full text of the bill reported by Senator Ed
munds to-day from the committee Oh foreign
relations, to protect the rights Of American
fishing, trading and other vessels and American
ishermen
Be it enacted ETC.. that whenever the President of
the United States shall be satisfied that American
fishing vessels American fishermen visiting or
being in the waters or at any ports places of the
British dominions Of North America are or then
lately have been denied abridged in the eDioymen.
of any rights secured to them by treaty or law, or
are. then lately have been unjustly vexed or
harassed in the enjoyment of such rights. or sub
jected to unreasonable restrictions regulations or
President of the United States shall be satisfied that
any such fishing vessels fishermen having per-
nit under the laws of the United States to touch or
trade at any port ports, place places in the
British domnions of North America, are then
lately have been denied the privilege os entering such
port or ports, place or places, in the same manner
and under the regulations may exist therein
applicable to trading vessels of the most favored
nations; or shall be uniusty yexed or harassed in
respect thereof shall be prevented from purchasing
such supplies there be lawfully sold to trading
vessels of the most favored nation whenever the
any other vessels of the United States their
or crews so arriving at or being in such
British waters ports places of the British domin
ions of North America are, then lately have been
denied any of the privileges therein accorded to the
vessels their masters crews of the most favored
nation, unjustly vexed or harassed in respect of
the then and in either all Of such cases it
shall be lawful and it shall be the duty of the Pres
dent of the United States in his discretion bv proc
lamation to that effect to deny vessels their masters
and crews, of the British dominions of North Amer
lea any entrance into the waters ports places of
within the United States with such exceptions in
gard to vessels in distress stress of weather need
ing supplies to the President shall proper
whether such vessels shall have directly from
such dominons such destined voyage or by way of
port place in such destined voyages and also
# ne think proper to deny entry into any port or
or any other product of said dolninicIs, other
goods coming from said domnions to the United
States. The President may in his discretion apply
such proclamation any part to all of the forego
ing named subjects and may qualify limit and renew
such proclamation to part or to all of the fore
going named subjects, and may qualify. limit and
new such proclamation from time to time he may
deem necessary to the full and just execution Of the
purposes of this act.
Every violation of any such proclamation, or any
part thereof is hereby declared Illegal and ali vessels
| and goods SO coming or being within the waters.
ports places of the United States contrary to such
proclamation. shah be forfeited to the United States
and such forfeiture shall be enforced and proceeded
npon in the with the effect as
in the of vessels goods whose Importation
coming to- or being in. the waters ports of the
United States contrary to law may now be enforced
Every person who shall violate any of the provis-
ions OF this act or such proclamation of the Prei
dent, made in pursuance hereof, shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and conviction thereof
shall be punished by fine not exceeding 81 600 or
exceeding
or by both said punishmens in the discretion Of the
court
The report of the Senate committee accom-.
panying the bill says that the pretension is i'll
founded that has been sometimes asserted by
| the government of Great Britain, that American
fishing vessels or others have no right except at
the pleasure of the British government, to be in
| or to prosecute lawful pursuits in the great arms
of the sea extending between ports of the main
land belonging to the British, and which are
more than six marine miles broad The three
mile limit is construed by the committee to
mean three miles from Shore irrespective of
hsadlands. The report deals at length with the
treaties with Great Britain upon the subject,
quotes from the acts of the Dominion govern
ment, defines what the committee consider
| American fishermen may and may not do in
North American waters, under the laws as they
| now stand, and continues as follows:
ut would seem that it is the deliberate pur-
pose of the British government to leave il TO the
individual discretion of each one of the numer-
ous magstrates, fishery officers and customs Off
| GERS OF the Dominion of Canada, to seize and
| bring into port any American vessel, whether
| fishing or other. that he finds within any barbor
| in Canada, or lowering within Canadian waters.
The statute does not even except those Canadian
waters in which. along large part of the south.
ern coast and the whole of the western coast of
| Newfoundland, they are entitled to fish, to say
nothing of the vast extent of the continental
| coast of Canada
| The committee declares that it is of the firm
opinion that this legislation is in violation of the
treaty of 1918, and of the principles Of comfy
and good neighborhood, and says
/ Had it been intended to harSss and embar
| rass American fishing and other vessels and to
make it impracticable for them to enjoy their
| treaty and other common rights, such legislation
would have been purposely adapted to that end !"
The committee give, in brief, statement Of
| the seizure of each of the vessels made by Cana
dian officials during the last year, ITO the great
embarrassment and injury of American rights
and interests" and adds:
ut will be seen from the correspondence and
/ papers submitted by the President, in his mes
sage on the subject, on Dec g. and from the tes-
| timony taken by the committee, that some of
| these instances of seizure detention. driy-
| ing vessels away by threats, etc. were in clear